October 3, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia congressional district with one of the largest concentrations of federal workers in the U.S. House, today introduced the Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act, legislation that would remove penalties for federal employees who wish to make hardship withdrawals from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) to pay bills during a protracted government shutdown. The bill would also allow workers withdrawing such funds to restore them to their retirement accounts later.
“Government shutdowns are a disaster for federal employees and contractors, and for their families. I am working with my colleagues to do all we can to support these workers in every way we can until the shutdown ends,” said Beyer. “My bill would ensure feds can withdraw funds from their retirement accounts during a shutdown without penalties, and remove other barriers that increase financial hardship at this difficult time.”
WASHINGTON, DC – At a press conference yesterday, Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03) released legislation, the Help FEDS (Federal Employees During a Shutdown) Act, to support federal employees who would be required to work without pay during a government shutdown.
This bill is cosponsored by Senators Van Hollen (D-Md.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kaine (D-Va.), Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Warner (D-Va.).
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) and James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) issued a statement:
“We take seriously our responsibility to provide oversight and ensure that all federal agencies meet their obligations under the law. Today, we visited the ICE field office in Chantilly, Va., after a month of attempting to gain access following serious reports of troubling conditions and severe overcrowding at this facility. ICE field offices are not designed or equipped to safely hold individuals for more than 12 hours, which was the long-standing policy until June, making the dangerous overcrowding both disturbing and wholly predictable. We are relieved to report that as of today, conditions appear to have improved from the horrifying reports we received just weeks ago.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on the memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last night regarding agency preparations for a potential government shutdown:
“America deserves a leader focused on solving problems, not someone who treats chaos and disruption as tools of governing. Instead of threatening government employees and the American public with even more mass layoffs and federal dysfunction, President Trump should come to the table and negotiate a funding bill that prevents health care premiums from skyrocketing for families and keeps the government operational. If President Trump truly cares about the American people, he will work with Congress to avoid a shutdown of his own making.”
Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that eligible taxpayers will receive tax rebates of up to $200 this fall if they filed individually, and up to $400 if they filed jointly.
“Virginia’s strong job growth, bolstered by business investment commitments of $140 billion has driven a total of $10 billion in surplus revenue and enabled a record $9 billion in tax relief,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This fall’s tax rebate reflects a simple truth: it’s your money, not the government’s. We have made record investments supporting teachers and students, law enforcement, and Virginians facing behavioral health crises, while also lowering costs for individuals, families, veterans and small businesses.”
Arlington, Va. — As it marks its 75th anniversary this fall, Marymount University is celebrating a wave of national recognition with strong showings in rankings released by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and Niche. These results highlight Marymount’s upward momentum as one of the region’s most dynamic private universities.
In U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges Rankings, Marymount reached its highest-ever position among all National Universities, rising 15 spots to No. 273. For the first time, Marymount is ranked No. 1 among all Virginia private institutions. The University also leaped 85 spots to No. 189 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, reflecting its commitment to advancing opportunity for students from all backgrounds.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement following new reporting by the Washington Post on the “serious safety risks” present at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on the night of the deadly crash over the Potomac River and the “political and economic forces” that perpetuated those conditions:
“Air traffic controllers and pilots are only human – their workload and work environment should reflect that. Unfortunately, Congress added more flights into DCA’s already chaotic airspace just months before this tragic crash over the objections of the region’s Senate delegation and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, disregarding the concerns of numerous pilots, air traffic controllers, and FAA and DOT personnel.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon demanding the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s decision to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding from Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, and Prince William County Public Schools.
“We write to demand the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s (Department) decision to punitively withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds from Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, and Prince William County Public Schools – a move that is directly contrary to the interests of students, parents, and educators,” wrote the senators.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) released the following statement:
“The rise in political violence—which has inflicted tragedy upon the families of Republican activist Charlie Kirk and Minnesota’s House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband Mark, and many other Americans on both sides of the aisle—is disturbing and unacceptable. We are unified in our condemnation of these attacks. It is critical to the safety of all Americans and the health of our democracy that we are able to approach our political differences with respect and without resorting to violence.”
August 28, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over health care, issued the following statement today after Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s attacks on vaccine science and public health prompted the attempted firing of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Susan Monarez and the departures of other key CDC leaders:
“President Trump must fire Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before he further endangers millions of American children, mothers, and families. If Trump does not remove Kennedy before this kook fully unleashes his crackpot conspiracy theories on America’s vaccination efforts, Trump will bear the responsibility for the unnecessary and preventable illnesses and deaths that result.
ARLINGTON, VA, August 20, 2025 – The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), in collaboration with True Ground Housing Partners and Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC), has opened a new public food distribution site in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. This initiative enables access to free, supplemental groceries for Arlington residents in an area where access to food assistance is limited.
Located in True Grounds’ Fisher House apartments (5705 Washington Blvd, Arlington VA 22205), the new site opens alongside AHC to extend AFAC’s resources to residents of multiple low-income housing properties in the area. This development aims to alleviate transportation challenges for food insecure residents living in Westover and increase access to nutritious food for individuals who may have previously relied on deliveries.
ARLINGTON, Va. – On August 19 approximately 200 business, government, and community leaders, including 22 elected officials, gathered to discuss some of the region’s most urgent issues at the 10th Annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit. This event was held by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, with premier partner NVC and co-hosts Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and the Regional Elected Leaders Initiative, and sponsored by Dominion Energy.
The program, held at George Mason University – Mason Square consisted of a panel discussion featuring Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson, Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis, and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay. NBC Washington reporter Joseph Olmo moderated the panel.
